


like a river flows (surely to the sea)

by sevensevan



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cruise Ship, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Read at Your Own Risk, idk if that's the right tag, very tropey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 14:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13437195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sevensevan/pseuds/sevensevan
Summary: Barry wins tickets to a couples’ cruise. Clearly, the logical and best course of action is to ask Iris to go as his wife. Featuring Barry, Iris, a cameo from Cisco, and an old British woman who takes no crap. Originally posted on tumblr.





	like a river flows (surely to the sea)

**Author's Note:**

> prompt fill for anon: arrangedmarriage!au or fake marriage!au of westallen. enjoy.

“This is the worst idea you’ve ever had.”

“That’s not true.”

“Name one idea of yours worse than this.”

“In Mexico—“

“We agreed not to talk about Mexico.”

“Well, you asked.”

“I asked for _one_ dumber idea. Mexico was, like, an entire _month_ of bad ideas.”

“It was not!” Iris raises her eyebrows at Barry skeptically. “Okay, it kinda was,” he admits. “But it was fun, right?” Iris gives him a flat look. “Right?”

“Alright, yes, _fine_ , it was fun,” Iris relents, rolling her eyes as Barry fist pumps in victory. “In between the getting drunk, getting lost, and getting deported, it was fun. But that doesn’t mean I want to do it _again_.”

“We can’t get deported from a cruise ship, Iris. It’s technically under US jurisdiction. I looked it up.”

“Of course you did.” Iris shakes her head. “So instead of deportation, we get thrown in American jail instead of Mexican. Sounds good.”

“They’re not going to _arrest_ us for being on a cruise ship,” Barry says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Worst case scenario they’ll charge us for the tickets.”

“Speaking of the tickets, why exactly did you enter a drawing for tickets for a couples’ cruise?”

“Well, originally I thought it was a gay couples’ cruise,” Barry says, like that explains everything.

“Explain?” Iris asks, knitting her eyebrows in a bemused, vaguely irritated way.

“I was gonna go with Cisco,” Barry says. “But then it wasn’t a gay cruise, and I definitely wasn’t going to go with Caitlin, so—“

“So I’m your only other female friend,” Iris completes. “Glad to know I’m your last choice.”

“That wasn’t it at all,” Barry protests. “You’re not my last choice.” Iris smiles.

“I know,” she reassures him. “I’m just kidding. So when is this cruise, anyway?”

“It starts Saturday.”

“ _Saturday_? Oh my God, Barry, I have to pack.”

“So that means you’re going?”

 

XxX

 

“So I asked Iris.”

“As friends though, right?”

“…”

“You’re an idiot, man.”

“I know.”

“You’re in love with her, Barry. Why would you ask her to pretend to be _married_?”

“Well, I can’t go with you since it’s a straight cruise, and I wasn't gonna ask Caitlin.”

“…That’s fair.”

“She wouldn’t think it was funny.”

“Nope. Well, good luck, man. You’re totally screwed, but good luck.”

“Thanks, Cisco.”

 

XxX

 

“So how long have you two been married?” an old British woman asks Barry on their first day on the ship. Iris is wandering the upper deck, taking photos of the ocean. Barry has claimed a table in a cafe and is watching her through the window while nursing an iced coffee. The British woman had sat down next to him a few minutes ago. She’s probably in her sixties (Barry and Iris are the only people under forty they’ve seen), and she’s wearing the most brightly colored sweater Barry has ever seen, despite the fact that it’s easily eighty degrees out.

“Me and Iris? Four years,” Barry lies on the spot. They hadn’t exactly planned a backstory; Iris had wanted to, but Barry had dismissed the idea, assuming no one would ask. Clearly (and unsurprisingly), he was wrong.

“You must have married quite young then,” the woman comments. Her tone is just a little bit judging.

“We grew up together,” Barry explains. He’s not sure why he’s defensive of his fictional relationship with Iris, but he doesn’t like the woman’s tone.

“Well, count yourself lucky then,” the woman says. “Took me fifty-two years to meet my husband, and another four to marry him.” She smiles at Barry. “You two seem like you’ll last.”

“Why do you say that?” Barry asks.”I mean, I agree, of course I agree, I think we’ll last, too, like, forever. I mean that’s kinda the whole point of getting married and all, I just mean—“ he cuts himself off, because the old woman doesn’t seem inclined to do so anytime soon.

“You didn’t look away from her until I started talking,” she says. Barry blinks in surprise and glances back out the window. Iris is leaning against the rail now, across the deck, eyes closed and head tilted back, enjoying the sunlight.

“Why would I?” he asks, and the honesty in his own voice surprises him. The woman smiles.

“I’ll leave you to it,” she tells him, picks up her coffee, and walks away. Barry waits only a few moments before he picks up his own drink and walks out the door to the main deck. Iris is fiddling with her camera now, but she looks up and smiles when he draws near.

“So we grew up together and have been married for four years,” he tells her without preamble.

“I _told_ you we needed a backstory.”

“Okay, listen—“

“I was right, wasn’t I?” Iris asks, raising her eyebrows at him. She looks gorgeous, in the sunlight, with her hair loose and the ocean behind her, so instead of arguing, Barry just smiles.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “You were right.” Iris grins at him, taking the iced coffee from his hand and taking a sip.

“Not bad,” she decides. “I can make better, but not bad.” Barry shakes his head, smiling. He opens his arms for a hug. Iris gives him an inquisitive look, but steps forward and hugs him anyway. “What was that for?” she asks. Barry shrugs.

“I’m glad we’re here,” he says vaguely. “I was right, too, you know.”

“How’s that?”

“You’re having fun.” Iris shakes her head, sips Barry’s coffee again (which is probably her coffee at this point; Barry highly doubts he’s getting it back).

“Dumbass,” she says, pushing him lightly. _Love you too_ , she means.

 

XxX

 

“So, are you two planning to have children?” the British woman (whose name is Frankie, as Barry had discovered at dinner that first night) asks over breakfast on the third day.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Barry says.

“No,” Iris says at the same time. They exchange a look, and Barry’s eyes go wide with concern. “It’s a discussion in progress,” Iris amends with a guileless, easy smile. Barry smiles at her. She’s looking at Frankie, and Iris doesn’t see the look on his face, but he can feel Frankie’s eyes on him. He’s vaguely aware that he probably looks stupidly in love with Iris, but he _is_ stupidly in love with Iris, and besides, they’re pretending to be married. Now’s probably the only chance he’ll ever get to look at her like this.

“Well, I’m sure whatever you decide, you’ll be happy,” Frankie says. “Although I think you two would make excellent parents.” Iris’s smile slips a bit, and she doesn’t seem quite sure how to respond to that.

“I think we would, too,” Barry says. Iris looks up at him, glaring daggers. He just grins at her. “Don’t you agree, honey?”

“Absolutely,” Iris says to Frankie through gritted teeth and another smile, this one visibly forced. Frankie just smiles at them both. “Barry, _honey_ , let’s go up to the top deck, I want to look at the ocean.” Barry recognizes the tone of her voice, the one that says _you’re in so much trouble._

“Nice talking to you, Frankie,” Barry says, picking up his styrofoam coffee cup and setting his napkin by his plate. She waves goodbye with a cryptic smile, and Barry follows his best friend out of the room.

“What the _hell_ , Barry,” Iris hisses, stopping in an empty hallway. Barry grins.

“It was funny.”

“It was _not_!” Iris sounds genuinely angry, and the smile slips off of Barry’s face.

“Hey,” he says, reaching out and resting his hand on her arm. “Hey, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make you mad, alright? I was just trying to be funny.” Iris shakes her head.

“I’m not laughing.”

“Okay,” Barry says. “Won’t happen again, then.” Iris nods. “You still want to go to the top deck?”

“You’re buying me something to make up for that,” she tells him. “ _Kids_.” She scoffs, turning away and marching off down the hall. “Come on.” He follows her down the hallway, digging through his pockets.

“I have twelve dollars and fifteen cents,” he calls after her. “Do you want, like, a t-shirt? On clearance?”

 

XxX

 

The last night, Barry watches the sunset from the cafe. Iris is outside, taking photos again. She seems determined to document the entire trip, if only to prove to people she meets in the future that she actually did go on a cruise while pretending to be married to her best friend. Or at least, that’s the explanation she gave Barry when he asked.

“Had a good trip?” Frankie asks, sitting down across from Barry. He glances away from Iris and over at the old woman who has become a bit of a friend over the past week.

“Better than I expected,” Barry says. It has been; the way his heart twinges every time the sun catches Iris’s fake wedding ring hasn’t hurt nearly as much as he expected, and she’s been smiling _so much_ , and she looks happy, so things have been good. “Shouldn’t you be out there with your husband? It’s a pretty romantic sunset.”

“My husband isn’t here,” Frankie says. Barry frowns at her, confused. “He passed away two months ago. He bought these tickets as an anniversary gift a few weeks before.”

“Oh,” Barry whispers. “I’m sorry.” Frankie shakes her head.

“Don’t be,” she says. “I married someone I truly loved and was happy. That’s more than most people can say.” Barry nods, unsure of what to say. “I’m glad your trip was enjoyable,” Frankie says. “I’m going to retire to bed, but a word of advice, Mr. Allen?” Barry looks over at her. “You should tell Iris how you really feel about her.” Barry feels a chill of fear run down his spine.

“What are you talking about?” he asks in a high-pitched voice. “We’re married.” Frankie rolls her eyes at him.

“You’re fooling everyone else,” she tells him. “You look at her like you’re married. But you can’t fool me.” She stands. “You should tell her,” she repeats.

“I can’t,” Barry says, looking out the window at Iris. “She doesn’t feel the same way.”

“Do you actually believe that?” Frankie asks, shaking her head. Barry just blinks at her, confused. She sighs. “Bloody _clueless_ ,” she mutters. “Why do you think she got all bothered when I asked about children? It made her think about a future with you, and it scared her that she wanted it.” Barry doesn’t answer. “Look, Mr. Allen,” Frankie says, in the tone of someone who is utterly sick and tired of another’s bullshit. “I learned quite a bit from my marriage, but I think the two most important things are that it’s never too late to be honest with someone, and that love is worth the risk. Go tell her, Barry. No matter what happens, the day will come that you’re glad you did it.” With that, she walks away. Barry turns back to the window, but Iris is gone. He frowns, searching the deck, but he doesn’t see her anywhere.

“Hey,” Iris says from behind him, carrying a soda. “Was that Frankie?” She steps forward, as if to take the seat that Frankie had just left, but Barry stands up in her path and, in one movement, pulled her forward, leaned down, and kissed her.

Iris doesn’t pull away. She kisses him _back_ , and it makes Barry feel like his soul is expanding inside him. It’s _everything._

“What was that for?” Iris murmurs when Barry pulls away, her eyes half-lidded and her voice soft.

“I’m in love with you,” Barry blurts out. Iris’s jaw drops slightly, but Barry keeps talking, rambling now. “I’m in love with you, and I think I always have been, and I’m _sure_ I always will be. And I’m sorry I never told you before, but I’m telling you now and I just…I don’t need you to love me back, I just want you to know.” Iris stares up at him for a few moments before smiling, as beautiful as always.

“You coulda told me this before marrying me,” she says cheekily. She leans in, kisses his cheek, lips brushing the corner of his mouth. “I love you, too. It’s about time you got your head out of your ass and actually said something.” Barry stares at her, speechless. Iris just smiles and offers him a hand. “Come on. It’s a really romantic sunset."

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @daisys-quake, requests are open. this was my first westallen fic, so any advice on characterization would be appreciated. leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed.


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